— Each week the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) sends out an e-mail alert called Take Action Thursday, which tells subscribers about current actions they can take to help animals. NAVS is a national, not-for-profit educational organization incorporated in the State of Illinois. NAVS promotes greater compassion, respect, and justice for animals through educational programs based on respected ethical and scientific theory and supported by extensive documentation of the cruelty and waste of vivisection. You can register to receive these action alerts and more at the NAVS Web site.

This week’s Take Action Thursday focuses on upcoming hunting competitions that target threatened or endangered animals in Michigan and Idaho.

Federal Legislation

The aggressive promotion of hunting and hunting competitions is a troubling issue, especially on federal lands—including national wildlife sanctuaries—as part of so-called “conservation” efforts. The Senate is considering the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014, S 2363. The Senate has by-passed referral to a committee and put this bill directly on the Senate calendar. The House has already passed a similar hunting heritage bill, HR 3590, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act in February.

It is critical that you contact your U.S. Senators and tell them that this bill is unacceptable to the American people. Hunting heritage bills are driven by a powerful pro-hunting minority, but their passage will have a negative impact on everyone.

Please contact your U.S. Senators and ask that they OPPOSE this bill.

State Legislation

In Michigan, a heated debate is taking place about who has the right to make decisions regarding the hunting of wolves: the people of the state or the legislature acting counter to the results of a public referendum on the issue. On August 13, the Senate approved the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Act, which would reauthorize the Natural Resources Commission’s (NRC) sole authority to determine whether hunting wolves is scientifically justified as part of a wolf management plan. If this measure passes the House, it will invalidate two referendum measures slated for the upcoming November ballot that ask voters to decide whether or not hunting wolves in Michigan is acceptable. Opponents of the measure overwhelmingly object to putting the interests of hunters—as represented by the legislators—ahead of the will of the people who would be denied their state constitutional right to vote directly on the issue.

If you live in Michigan, please call your state Representative and ask that they OPPOSE passage of the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Act.

Legal Trends

In Idaho, a request to hold a multi-year predator derby on three million acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public land has been submitted to the BLM for approval. The first derby, scheduled for January 2015, would be a three-day predator-killing contest targeting wolves, weasels, coyotes, jackrabbits and any other wildlife, including some protected species, that get in the way of hunters. The area where the hunts would occur includes 17 areas specially managed to preserve their wilderness character. No public land—in fact no land at all—should be used to reward individuals who engage in a killing spree against wildlife.

Please contact the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and ask that they reject this permit to conduct a killing contest on public land.

"Service Animal" Scammers (New Yorker): An increasing number of your neighbors have been keeping company with their pets in human-only establishments simply by claiming that the creatures are their licensed companion animals and are necessary to their mental well-being.